Brenna

Certified Tutor

There is nothing more rewarding than seeing a student who has struggled with a concept to finally have their "ah-ha" moment. You can see the student's eyes light up with excitement and pride in themselves and you can feel their confidence in their ability grow. This is one of the small moments that starts to counteract the feelings of failure they may hold because they haven't understood a particular subject or can't grasp a specific content. I encourage students to contact me to start to work to their "ah-ha" moment.

I have been tutoring for eight years and I have been working with students on their math skills ranging from elementary math to Algebra 2. I typically use the student's textbooks or resources that they have from their class to ensure that they are understanding the material they are being presented. This also makes sure that students are learning the exact concepts that they are struggling with and not a completely different concept.
I am a recent graduate from Hamline University in Saint Paul and I studied Chemistry and Secondary Education to become a high school chemistry teacher. Due to my studies at Hamline University, I have a working knowledge of learning styles and I know how to create a learning environment that will fit a student's specific needs. This could look like being hands on with grouping in division with a tactile learner or using a visual grouping method in division with a visual learner.

In addition to understanding how to create the correct learning environment for a student, I also do not give a student the right answer when they are ready to give up. Instead, I ask them a series of open ended questions that will lead them down the path to the right answer. In today's school system, there is a large emphasis on the correct answer. Due to this, students who don't understand the concept typically are given the answer by either the teacher or their classmates. Our classrooms do not honor the path students need to take to learn the concept for themselves. I offer students the space to take their time down the path and learn the material for themselves with my guidance.